The Wayro route from Salta to Calama, Chile is 431 miles (693 km), about 9 h 6 min of driving without stops. You cross from Argentina into Chile at about mile 274, at Paso de Jama.
Full advisory: Argentina, Chile. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
- Chile: “Secondary and mountain roads may be poorly maintained, poorly lit, and may lack guardrails.”
| Distance by road | 431 mi (693 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 6 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN9 → RN34 → RN1V66 → RN52 |
| Border crossing | about mile 274, Argentina → Chile (Paso de Jama) |
| Regions on the route | Salta, Jujuy, Antofagasta |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Chile
The route crosses at about mile 274, at Paso de Jama, from Jujuy into Antofagasta. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Chile (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Chile | A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. |
| Entering Argentina (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid when you enter; leave a blank page for the entry and exit stamps. |
| Driving in Argentina | A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. |
| The car, entering Chile | Foreign-plated cars entering Chile need SOAPEX, Chile's mandatory accident insurance for foreign vehicles, unless an international agreement covers the car. Keep the certificate with the car's papers. |
| Rental car | Cross only if the rental company authorizes it in writing and gives you the papers for the border; ask before you book. |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Chile (updated July 02, 2026); U.S. State Department, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); CMF Chile (financial regulator). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
Driving Salta to Calama: the shape of the trip
RN52 (160 mi) and RN9 (67 mi) carry about 53% of the 431 miles. The first 274 miles are in Argentina; the last 157 are in Chile. It runs through 3 regions: Salta, Jujuy, Antofagasta. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Salta to Calama: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Salta |
| RN9 | 2–29 | 27 | Salta |
| RN34 | 29–48 | 19 | Salta, Jujuy |
| RN1V66 | 48–72 | 24 | Jujuy |
| RN9 | 72–112 | 40 | Jujuy |
| RN52 | 112–272 | 160 | Jujuy, Salta |
| local roads | 272–368 | 96 | Jujuy, Antofagasta |
| connecting roads | 368–370 | 2 | Antofagasta |
| local roads | 370–431 | 61 | Antofagasta |
- Mile 43 of this route: Salta → Jujuy (region line)
- Mile 165 of this route: Jujuy → Salta (region line)
- Mile 199 of this route: Salta → Jujuy (region line)
- Mile 274 of this route: Jujuy → Antofagasta (international border)
Stops between Salta and Calama
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Salar Aguas Calientes I (mile 300), Los Flamencos National Reserve (mile 300), Museo del Meteorito (mile 369), Pukará de Quitor (mile 370)
- Nature and outdoors: Los Flamencos National Reserve (mile 300), Museo del Meteorito (mile 369)
- Museums and history: Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Saviour, San Salvador de Jujuy (mile 75), Museo Juan Galo Lavalle (mile 75), Museo del Meteorito (mile 369), Pukará de Quitor (mile 370)
Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Saviour, San Salvador de Jujuy
The Cathedral Basilica of the Holy Saviour is the seat of the Catholic bishopric of San Salvador de Jujuy and is counted among Argentina's historic buildings.
Museo Juan Galo Lavalle
Inside a mid-18th-century house declared a National Historic Monument, this provincial history museum marks the place where independence-era leader Juan Galo Lavalle was killed.
Salinas Grandes
Spread across Jujuy and Salta provinces at about 3,450 meters, the Salinas Grandes salt flat covers 212 square kilometers of white desert.
Salar de Olaroz
In the Susques department of Jujuy province, about 270 km from San Salvador de Jujuy, Salar de Olaroz lies on a high plateau at around 3,900 m.
Salar de Quisquiro
Also called Salar de Loyoques, Salar de Quisquiro is a salt pan of about 80 km² in northern Chile, in a basin averaging 4,430 m and topped by 5,285 m Cerro Purifican.
Salar Aguas Calientes I
High in the Puna de Atacama of the Antofagasta Region, Salar Aguas Calientes I borders the Tara salt flat to the north and east, Quisquiro to the south and Pujsa to the west.
Los Flamencos National Reserve
Covering 740 square kilometres of dry puna in the San Pedro de Atacama commune, Los Flamencos National Reserve is made up of seven separate sections in the Antofagasta Region.
Museo del Meteorito
San Pedro de Atacama's Museo del Meteorito keeps a permanent exhibit of meteorites found in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile.
Pukará de Quitor
About 3 km northwest of San Pedro de Atacama, Pukará de Quitor is a pre-Columbian stone fortress overlooking the valley of the San Pedro River.
Arriving in Calama
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Calama
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, also called Calama Cathedral, is the main Catholic church of the Diocese of San Juan Bautista de Calama in Chile.
More drives to Calama
- Arica to Calama
- Tacna to Calama, Chile
- Sucre to Calama, Chile
- Oruro to Calama, Chile
- Potosí to Calama, Chile
More drives from Salta
- Salta to Amaicha del Valle
- Salta to La Rioja
- Salta to Villa Unión
- Salta to Capilla del Monte
- Salta to Villa Carlos Paz
- Salta to San Agustín de Valle Fértil
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Salta to Calama, Chile?
About 9 h 6 min of driving without stops, over 431 miles.
What is the driving distance from Salta to Calama, Chile?
About 431 miles (693 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Where does the Salta to Calama drive cross the border?
At about mile 274, from Argentina into Chile, at Paso de Jama.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Salta into Chile?
No visa needed for 90 days or less on a tourist passport; you get a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay. A valid U.S. license works for the length of your tourist permit, usually 90 days. (U.S. State Department, updated July 02, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Salta to Calama drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Salta to Calama use?
In order: RN9, RN34, RN1V66 and RN52. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Salta and Calama?
Closest to the road: Los Flamencos National Reserve (national reserve, mile 300, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo del Meteorito (natural history museum, mile 369, 0.1 mi from the route); Pukará de Quitor (fortress, mile 370, 0.9 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.